Waltz for the Moon
by Sadistic Shadow
Summary: [Complete] The esteemed master thief is invited to yet another party and as usual, a certain lady friend accompanies him. What neither of them expects, however, is a tender moment shared followed by a dance under the stars.
1. A Meeting of

He sat alone in the dark room. It was well past midnight and dawn was swift in its approach. The hours seemed to melt away. He knew he really should be in bed, asleep, but try as he might, he just could not bring himself to be tired. More than likely, though, he would soon regret his decision.

It would not be long before Goemon would come knocking at his door. The well-disciplined swordsman believed in both early-rising and hearty breakfasts. Oh yes, Lupin would most definitely regret not getting rest.

And then there would be Jigen, he realized, barely suppressing a groan. If Goemon did not kill him with his outright disturbing amount of cheer, Jigen's dry humor and unhealthy level of sarcasm would surely do the trick.

A heavy sigh escaped the master thief and, leaning forward to lift the nearly empty shot of brand, he made a face. He had not realized the heavy, wooden shutters were drawn carefully over the window - it was much earlier than he had expected.

Downing the alcohol without another thought, he slammed the glass down on the cocktail table and propped his feet up upon it. Settling back, he allowed himself to sink out of sight, quite literally drowning in a sea of soft pillows and seat cushions.

Only a moment or so more passed, though, before a crisp rap jarred him from the peaceful reverie he had fallen into. "Lupin. Breakfast is ready."

Closing his eyes, he remained silent for a few minutes. "Coming," he finally announced, his eyes open once more.

It was only when he had actually stood, however, that his keen hearing detected his faithful friend and partner in crime shift from his attentive vigil and continue on down the hall. Yes; Goemon was a creature of habit, it seemed.

In approximately fifteen minutes, Lupin was downstairs, eating with his two companions. Realizing he looked a bit under the weather from his lack of rest, he hoped speeding through his meal would get him out of the impending inquiry. It seemed he couldn't have been more wrong.

"You're in a hurry," Goemon observed placidly. "Is there something wrong with the soup?"

"The soup is fine," Jigen assured the worried looking man, even as he took a sip. Despite it being served for the fourth morning in a row, the miso soup was well up to par and quite enjoyable. "Lupin here is just worried about his invitation, that's all. Isn't that right?"

Said man nodded absently. The truth of the matter was, he was awaiting contact from the illustrious Fujiko. She had vanished mysteriously about a month ago and the master thief was beginning to worry. After all, the woman was a schemer - while out to make her own fortune, he and his crew ran into her as often as every other mission.

But lately, things had been different and he was beginning to miss her terribly. So much that it showed, even. His work ethics were going down the drain - he would do just about anything to get the job done - and his method was getting a little slip-shoddy - he had just barely been evading Zenigata's handcuffs lately. 

It was no secret, the feelings he harbored for her - even she herself knew. That was what made Lupin more surprised than anything; surely his friends must know what was truly ailing him.

And indeed, they did. Not that they would let him know that, though. They were out to make their ringleader forget all about the addiction known as Fujiko. They figured that eventually, even Lupin would forget and move on. They figured wrong. For it seemed the old anecdote was true after all: absence makes the heart all the fonder.

"Lupin!" Jigen half-yelled, startling the man from his thoughts. "Did you hear a word I said?" 

"Hmm? Oh, no..." Lupin trailed off, shaking his head to rid himself of the stupor that had overtaken him. "Sorry."

Jigen's face momentarily flickered with something akin to annoyance. "It's okay," he began, gruffly. "Anyway, I said, 'Well you don't have to wait much longer'."

"Oh?" Lupin was not quite sure what they had been talking about before his mind had wandered, so he played along, hoping to look remotely intelligent.

Jigen seemed to buy it, though Goemon shot him a skeptical look. "Yeah. Seems it arrived yesterday, when we were all too busy to check."

Oh. The invitation. Of course. "Well that's good," he fumbled with his words as Goemon produced the object in question.

He reached out to accept it from the swordsman, but another, more slender, deft hand snatched it away before he could do so. Slowly, almost in disbelief, his eyes trailed upwards, their final destination being the face of the intruder. 

But he knew who it was even as she chuckled softly and spoke, "I seem to have misplaced mine."

He rose with a start, nearly knocking his chair over. "F-Fujiko!"

She surveyed him with what could only be amusement. "Well, well, well, Lupin. It's been quite some time since I've heard _that_ name from you." Her voice took on a light, comical tone.

"Fuji-cakes," he corrected himself at once. And, as she reached over to lightly smack him, even as she laughed, it felt like old times again - if but only for a moment. 

****

Disclaimer: Maurice LeBlanc and Kazuhiko Kato own the rights to anything having to do with Lupin or Lupin III. I merely own the merchandise and this plot. 

****

A/N: A refreshing break from my usual fandoms of choice. I thought it would be real interesting to use this as a project to keep me going throughout the week of my mid-terms/finals. This will be approximately 3 chapters long (including this prologue) so it shall be completed fairly quickly. I apologize for any OOC-ness. This is my first attempt at a Lupin fic and most likely will be me last. Perhaps in the distant future, if I have the time, I could try another one. We shall have to see. For now though, this will have to make do.

Please Review! 


	2. Kindred Spirits

"So what does this have to do with us?" Jigen demanded, eyeing the lithe young woman with no small amount of suspicion. 

"Ugh. Men." Fujiko snorted, making no effort to disguise her disgust. 

"If you had been listening better..." Goemon politely reminded his companion. 

Jigen looked disgruntled. "Since when have we started listening to Fujiko?"

She glared at the gunman. "So you weren't listening at all." came her accusation.

A quiet chuckle was heard from Lupin, causing the others to turn and stare at him as if her were mad. "So what you're saying, Fuji-cakes, is that the rules have changed to discourage enterprising gentlemen such as ourselves...and all parties attending need a date?"

"Fujiko looked startled that he had been doing more than his usual - ogling her chest - but her look of surprise was soon replaced by a crafty grin. "Why Lupin, darling; I didn't know you cared-"

"Now wait just a minute!" Jigen interrupted. "First of all, what kind of stupid rule is that? Anybody and their cousin can _buy_ a date-"

"Not Lupin." Fujiko cut in with a smile, oblivious to the dirty look she was shot.

"And second of all," Jigen nearly hissed as he collected the thoughts that had been lost in his interruption, "Who says we have to use _you_? We can just as well dress up Goemon here and he's a hell of a lot more trustworthy than yourself."

Goemon shot him an indignant look, which Jigen chose to ignore as Fujiko laughed gaily. "Why not? He is, after all, already in a dress. Or maybe you'd be more suited for the part," she paused, to eye him loftily, "You just reek of femininity."

A growl escaped Jigen's throat. "We get the point. Now what do you so badly want out of all this, to have actively sought us out?"

She looked amused. "To be honest with you, I don't even know what's on display. Now the question is, boys: what do _you_ all want out of this?"

"Somehow I really doubt you're as clueless as you claim, "Jigen laughed. "The day Fujiko doesn't know what's going on and have her pointy little nose right in the middle of it will be the day I die."

It seemed she was beside him before the words finished leaving his mouth, gun cocked and held steady against the side of his head. "Bang-bang," she murmured softly. "You really should avoid such outbursts, dear. 'Cause there's always someone out there willing to hold you to your word; you know, the kind who'd cut off their own nose to spite their face?"

Lupin pushed back his chair and silently stood. "That's enough, Fuji-cakes," he commanded and, surprisingly, she listened. "I hope you have a suitable dress," he added with a cocky little smirk. "And preferably one with a lot of cleavage, 'cause you and I have a party to crash."

"You cad," she rolled her eyes at his last comment, though she looked quite pleased with herself. "I'm staying at the motel around the corner. I expect to be picked up at seven sharp. As I understand, they're closing the doors at ten and the drive's at least an hour long."

"Yes ma'am." Lupin couldn't help but grin lecherously. Both Goemon and Jigen felt like groaning - which they did inwardly - though neither could deny they felt happy at spotting traces of the old thief. 

"Great," she grinned spontaneously, turning on her heels to exit when she was stopped short by a hand clapping down on her shoulder. Expecting to see either Goemon or Jigen with a polite goodbye or a rude warning respectively, she couldn't help but feel surprised for the second time that day. "Lupin." It was a simple statement. 

Lupin said nothing until he had led her out into the hall, his hand still strategically placed on her shoulder to prevent a swift get-away before he could finish with what he had to say. "Jigen's probably right, Fujiko - we could have pulled this off by ourselves. You've been gone a month...Why show back up now?" His voice was low, as he knew the other two would most likely be listening as carefully as they could from their seats at the table. 

She eyed him coolly. "A lady never has to explain her motives to anyone," she sniffed haughtily, thrusting her nose in the air as she delivered a swift kick to his most sensitive spot. "And it would be good of you to remember that tonight, Lupin." 

He groaned his agreement from his slumped position on the floor. Perhaps it had been unwise of him to pine for her return. If this were a warning for abuse that was sure to come, it would have certainly been better to concentrate on her memory. But through all his mental grousing and extreme pain, an exquisitely fond smile graced his lips. 

Jigen and Goemon, who had rushed to his assistance the moment they heard his body hit the floor, rolled him over and stared down into his face. "Whatever she did to you is your own fault." Jigen crossed his arms and informed the master thief curtly. 

"I know," Lupin sighed. "All too well." 

~*~

Fujiko glanced at the wall on the clock. It was 7:10. She tapped her foot impatiently, inwardly seething. While it was true she told him to come by seven, making him only ten minutes late, she knew that time was extremely important in their job tonight and that even mere minutes could make the difference between emerging from the party filthy rich or empty handed. She was not even aware that she was overreacting. 

Finally, a knock came at the door. Gathering her dignity, she strode over as pompously as she could and threw the thing open as ceremoniously as she possible. And there he stood, as she expected, looking sheepishly oblivious to her anger. "Lupin," she smiled charmingly, her eyes flashing dangerously. "How good of you to come." 

He didn't seem to notice her foul mood. "Sorry, I'm running a bit behind schedule, Fuji-cakes - had to finish up some last minute business and ran into Pops, as luck would have it."

"I see," she commented dryly, fetching her handbag from the dresser. Her anger had subsided fairly quickly but her stubborn streak had yet to dissipate. She refused to dwell on the reason, though it lay more or less along the lines of she being overly worried he wouldn't show. "Then shall we go?" 

"Why certainly, my lady!" Lupin bowed low, the picture of gentlemanly etiquette, before offering her his arm, which she reluctantly took. The two of them strolled out of the motel room in which she was staying and Lupin waited patiently for her to draw the room key from her purse and lock the place up.

After she had done so, both of them continued on their way to the car that Lupin had decided to take them in. Maintaining his polite image, he opened the door for Fujiko and helped seat her. Only then did he jog around to the other side of the car and get in himself.

As the two buckled up their seatbelts, neither spoke. This need for silence only grew as Lupin turned the key in the ignition and started them on their way towards the party. It was only when they were almost to their predetermined destination that one of them spoke and surprisingly, that person was Fujiko. "So...Lupin..."

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, trying to keep his concentration mainly on the treacherous road ahead of them. "What was that, Fuji-cakes?" 

"Have your eye on anything particular at this party?" she inquired, genuinely curious. "After all, I know you wouldn't drag yourself all the way out here for nothing."

"Is that so?" he murmured, his voice unusually low. "Well, to tell the truth, Fuji-cakes...There's nothing I want there-" her eyes widened slightly as he continued, "Sure, there is bound to be untold wealth just waiting to be grabbed, but...It's the first time I've seen you in a long time, Fujiko. There's always other days for thieving."

She couldn't contain the breath she held and it came out in a short puff of wind - a gasp. But she masked her surprise with a cold chuckle, one that wouldn't betray the sudden rush of emotion coursing through her. "_The_ Lupin III, pass up a chance to loot and plunder? Please..."

He looked hurt but they had rolled up to a stop by the curb and an attendant hovered over them like an anxious mother hen. Deciding to evade the uncomfortable situation as best he could, he allowed his fingers to roam across the driver's side until they triggered the button that unlocked the vehicle. 

The attendant - clearly a valet for the party - pawed the door handle and pulled it open for Lupin to step out. He did so and the valet dashed around to the other side to do the same for Fujiko. Lupin eyed the man and stifled a sigh. Extracting his wallet, he placed a crisp note in the man's nearly outstretched hand along with the keys. 

Receiving a grin and a polite thank you before the valet darted off to rob other partygoers blind with his sheer enthusiasm, Lupin turned to Fujiko, who was busy trying to smooth down the front of her dress and look disinterested at the same time. Putting on a large, cheesy, and not-so-obviously-fake grin, Lupin linked arms with said young woman and led her straight into a throng of people. 

****

A/N: Hmm. I was a tad late on this update, only because I had a party to attend. Fear not, the next and last chapter _should_ be out before the end of the year. I would go ahead and say it would be, no sweat, but bad things tend to happen to me after I make promises like those, so...Oh yes, if you read this on 12/22, I went back and fixed all the typos and such on 12/23. 

Katelynn Garret: I was _expecting_ a review from you, but not that darn soon. Thanks a bunch, my dear.

Chaos of the Demonic: How nice of you to review my fic! I wasn't expecting it, really, I wasn't. But thanks so much! And no worries; I know you won't fail to reprimand me should I leave the last chapter unwritten for too long. 

Saberpilot: I'm glad you like them. Thanks for the review. Both things make me happy.

Blue Vixen: I've read and reviewed every last chapter out so far - you deserved it. Thanks for the review/compliment.

J. Lucy-Daisuke: I wasn't as worried as all that. Did I come across that way? Sorry. It was just a standard warning, really. Better to be safe than sorry. Chapter's dedicated to you for your informative review; not that I don't adore the others, but sometimes we authors appreciate these sorts of critiques. 

Please Review! 


	3. Beneath the Stars

As the two of them made their way through the vast horde of people, Lupin found himself eyeing many of the treasures - both modern and ancient - quite wistfully. But they were all on the larger side. And despite the fact that as they made their way through the room he was plucking valuables of the minuscule kind left and right, he forced all thoughts of thieving on a grand scale out of his corrupt little mind. He had made an invariant promise to Fujiko, and a gentleman always kept his word. 

Fujiko, however, was quite aware of his transgressions, though she took them with a blind eye. She had neither expected nor wanted his silly promise in the first place, so all was good and well with her. She did feel a pang of remorse that he didn't value their promise as much as he seemed to imply in the car, but as previously stated by her often incorrigible mind, she cared not in the slightest. 

Or so she told herself. Said mind also seemed to want to pursue such matters adamantly tonight. Which would explain why she was currently wrestling with it and not entirely watching her surroundings or where she was going. But Lupin's arm was still linked with hers, allowing her this surprisingly luxurious freedom. For what better time was there to space off than in the midst of a party full of snobs, on the arm of the man you adore? Oops. It was a real good thing she didn't say such a thing outloud. 'Cause in Layman terms, she was screwed. 

"Fujiko..." Amidst the buzz and bustle of the teeming room of voices, Lupin's reached her ear and still managed to somehow sound soft, gentle even. It was then that she became aware that she was aware that his lips were dangerously close to her ear. "The balcony seems fairly empty; shall we head out there and collect ourselves?"

It took everything she had not to shiver and fall back in his strong grip and tell him she loved him right then and there. She knew that he had desired her for some time now and that he would be quite agreeable about the possibility of a relationship developing between the two. Which is why she had to hear it from him first - why she had to know that he valued her as more than just a pretty face and a good lay. 

Only the heavens knew when she had started seriously considering him as a man - a man that she could not only see and touch, but also love. She had always denied him of his affections towards her before, with a cruel indifference, even. So why, oh why, had she finally fallen sucker for his charm? It was an especially disgraceful thing to admit, for she knew that more than half of the time he had just been laying it on thick anyway. 

The cool night air startled her out of the turbulent reverie she had landed herself into. Her eyes fluttered open and she realized that for some peculiar reason, she had been squeezing them tightly shut. In any case, the stinging breeze heightened her senses and caused her to become painfully alert of every minute detail around her. 

The rustling of the trees and shrubbery all about her was transformed from a hollow bolero to a great symphony all of its own. The gurgling from the enormous fountain below them in the pristine garden became the deep tone needed to give nature's opera her true voice. And the once mournful clanking of numerous wooden chimes and decorative waterspouts could only be compared with the hearty but polite applause of joyous spectators. Fujiko felt like clapping herself. 

But she just had to break the moment with another one of her snide comments, didn't she? "Well, Lupin. Did you enjoy yourself back there? Must have been a real thrill, hiding your escapades from both me _and_ your host and his guests!" 

He glanced down at her and fixed her with a pointed look. "Fuji-cakes," both his expression and tone were so pleading she had to crack a smile, much to his delight, "When I said that, I meant no complicated schemes and plans that would take the entire night to exact. I never said the occasional trinket," he paused to jiggle his coat pocket, "Wasn't to be lifted."

Her glare lasted moments, at best. It seemed that it was the second time she had become angered over nothing in little over an hour. There were times - like now for instance - when she absolutely loathed being made the fool, but there were also times, applying to now as well, when she felt quite relieved that her fire was quelled and that she was silenced before a real argument began. Not that she intended to be pacified any time a dispute cropped up, mind you. His moment of triumph would be short-lived, she decided with a cat-ish smirk. 

"Fuji-cakes?" his head was tilted to the side and he was looking slightly confused. Once again, it was his voice and his voice only breaking her out of her daze. She found it ironic that he would have to make an inquiry that seemed to have cropped off just a little too often that day. "Were you listening?"

"Mmm?" his look of confusion was matched for but a moment. She quickly shook off the remainder of her thoughts and admitted with a little shake of her head, "No, not really."

He cracked a grin and pulled away from her, leaving her quite cold and more confused, if such a thing were possible. Darting a bit further away, he turned to face her, his grin widening ever so slightly as he bowed low, with a lavish amount of expenditure. "I asked, madam, if you would care to dance?" 

She regarded him suspiciously. It seemed an innocent enough question, for music was now pouring out from the crowded room they had earlier left but he was Lupin, damn it. There was no telling what he was up to. But at last, her heart gave in and she gave her consent with a slight nod of the head. 

He approached her with hesitance, which only grew when the time came for him to place his hands on her hips. She could barely contain her smirk. It seemed her was recalling one of two similar experiences; one from that very morning or one from a few months ago. Whichever was the case, he had been issued a hearty dose of punishment. And with Fujiko, punishment could only equate to pain. _Extreme_ pain. 

But she allowed him to handle her and was rewarded with the fact that he took his job with great care and did it with such care and delicacy that even she was amazed. A man had never held her like this before. Sure, she had been in the arms of many, but they had all been too rough, too eager or just all-around indifferent to her comforts. All in all, she was rather pleased with Lupin.

So, she took a deep breath and a step closer, placing her hands upon his broad shoulders. Upon doing so, Lupin stirred slightly, initiating the dance. At first it was just the two of them rocking slowly back and forth, as inexperienced or just plain nervous couples would. But gradually, their movements evolved into something greater. Something far more beautiful. 

As the two of them twirled about underneath the endless velvet abyss that was the night sky, neither was aware that the music from inside had been temporarily halted as some mundane speech was being delivered. They danced to nobody's tune but their own. In time, they found their elaborate routines giving way to the gentle rocking that had started it all. Neither seemed to notice or mind that they were tightly drawn together, as close as humanly possible. 

But it seemed the leading lady of the evening would have her way with him in one last, glorious showing. It was elegant and graceful and seemed to bring together the best elements of all their other dances and combine them into one. The style and speed varied as often as they wind blew, leaving Fujiko both breathless and colored red as their peculiar waltz finally seemed to end. 

Lupin gazed at her, the entirety of his senses enraptured by the charming vixen before him. Gone was the conniving look that usually marred her otherwise pleasant features, replaced instead by the loveliest of smiles. It was then that he realized that he wanted her.

Sure, he had lusted after her many times in the past, including just this morning, though that was a little more pure-intentioned...But this, this glorious and utterly exalting feeling was completely different. He did not want her only in mind, but in spirit also. He wanted her to be more than the added fan service that showed up along his quest for unimaginable wealth. He wanted her by his side..._forever_. 

But the question was, after all his stunts in the past, would she have him? How would she respond if he took her into his arms, told her he loved her and proceeded to sweep her off her feet and knock her more breathless than she already was? Would she, Fujiko, consent to be his as willingly as she had consented to this dance? Biting his lip, he was actually quite grim-faced. There was only one way to find out, it seemed. 

"Fujiko..." Yet again his voice was the only thing she heard though her breathing was quite erratic and she was positive it could be heard for miles around. Wait, had her ears just deceived her? Had he really called her by her full name? "I want to ask you something, Fujiko..."

"And that would be?" she found herself whispering, with a fair amount of apprehension.

Before she could protest, she found her fingers intertwined with his own, occasionally rubbing against the other's in an awkward massage of some sorts. "What was running through your mind all those times that I was attempting to hit on you?"

"Other than the obvious?" she calmly asked for clarification, though her mind was anything but tranquil at this point. _Just what was he getting to?_

"Other than the obvious," he nodded, a chuckle escaping and filling the open-air balcony with a great sense of mirth and comfort. 

"Well," she began, shifting her position. It was clear that she was uncomfortable under such close scrutiny but there really was no way she could weasel out of this one without making a scene. Besides, she wasn't all that opposed to the closeness they shared. "I was flattered, to say the least, but...I wasn't looking for a one night stand followed by the a-typical 'on-again off-again' type of relationship. I wasn't looking for _any_ sort of relationship, actually."

"Wasn't," he detected shrewdly. "As in weren't then but maybe now?"

She only looked mildly surprised that he had played her words in such a fashion. Opting to remain silent, she stubbornly met his probing gaze. At last, though, she relented and answered, "Perhaps."

He found himself rolling his bottom lip beneath his unusually pointy canines. She might have just given him the signal he was waiting for, but mayhap she was not ready...But oh, the time was upon them - the time was now - so he briefly closed his eyes to gather his wits. It was not long before his subtle, barely audible ultimatum was dropped. "I love you, Fujiko." He had never spoken truer words, and that was something, coming from such a renowned 'scoundrel'. 

If she had not been hoping so hard for a moment such as this, then perhaps her ears would not have strained hard enough and she would have never heard him. But she had been straining and she _did_ hear him and surprisingly enough, was ready with an answer before the words even fully left his mouth. "I love you too, Lupin."

His startled gaze spoke volumes and she could not help but giggle. After an uneasy moment or two, he joined in with nervous chuckles, though he wasn't quite sure what there was to laugh about. Finally, her laughter subsided and she fixed him with as serious a look as she possibly could, given the circumstances. 

"It was about a month ago," she quietly informed him. "I guess you _finally_ did something right and captured that black little heart of mine. I wasn't prepared for such strong emotions for _anyone_, so I tried to take the easy way out - I fled. But as you can see, that clearly didn't do all that much good, because I'm here with you right now, you lousy thief. Back then I swore it would be the last thing you ever stole, but as you can clearly see, that little oath of mine fell straight through the roof.

"I decided to come back after a relaxing little vacation and sort things out. It was then I heard about this little ball and set things into motion. You see, all I really wanted was one last chance to see you Lupin, and see if it was truly possible for you to return that almost unwanted little baggage known as love that I had picked up over the years. But I wasn't going to tell you, Lupin, no matter how much you convinced me. I suppose any oaf could be _capable_ of loving someone. 

"After all the torrid little trysts in my life, for once, I just wanted someone who actually _loved_ me. So unless I could convince you to admit any feelings you had for me, I was going to..." here she paused, looking strangely startled. "Well, I hadn't really thought of that part, yet," she admitted.

"Enough." Lupin admonished with a shake of his head. "Long speeches don't suit you, Fuji-cakes-" here she smiled - "Though I must admit I'm grateful for the explanation. I was starting to think I had done something wrong." 

She chuckled quietly though she was soon silenced by a chaste little kiss from the gentleman thief. A surprising thing, when his usual lecherous ways were taken into consideration. But the kiss had been soft and warm; all the assurance she needed that for once, her future would be bright. And for the first time in a very long time, the tears Fujiko wept were neither fake nor bitter.

****

A/N: Wow. That took a lot out of me. While nearly four pages may not be that long for those used to writing ten + pages every chapter, if you're familiar with my works and I then you will know that I tend to use the change from chapter to chapter to suit my own twisted whims. In other words, it is much easier for me to write an abundance of shorter chapters than a single long one. In any case, I am pleased to note that I finished this story in its entirety in little over a week. No small accomplishment for one such as me, who tends to be plagued with the opposite of writer's block and abandon the easiest of stories to complete for new ones. Yes folks, I regret to say it, but this is the end. A good enough end to count as a Christmas present though, I hope. So Happy Holidays, everyone. 

Perhaps I lied in the Prologue. The Lupin bug has bitten me and another fic featuring everyone's favorite gentleman thief is more of a question of 'when' than 'if'. Though don't be expecting one any time soon and even if I do manage to produce one in this next year, don't expect it to be a full-length feature. It will most likely be another chaptered vignette such as this. In any case, if at least one person _truly_ enjoyed this fic then my work is done. It was meant to be nothing more then a piece to relieve my stressed mind and with only three chapters I didn't have to worry about completing it all that soon. Little did I know, it'd be the fastest fic I'd ever finish. Perhaps because I truly had the motivation to do it. 

One last thing, though, before I get to addressing the last comments of my readers. If you enjoyed this fic, would you mind too terribly checking out the stories in my profile and, if any of them suit your fancy, would you read and review them? Thanks a bunch. Even if you don't, and even if you didn't leave a review on this fic, imagining the anonymous people who must have read this just makes me day. You guys truly are the ownage. 

Blue Vixen: Well, Lupin sort of half-assed on his promise (would you really have it any other way?) but as you can clearly see, he had his sights set on more than just valuables of the sellable sort. Though, disgustingly enough, he could probably sell Fujiko if he tried. Eew. 

Chaos of the Demonic: E-mail I sent you last night contains my reply to your inquiry. Thanks for the review as always. I'm glad you like the story.

J Lucy-Daisuke: And it's quite a nice treat to read your reviews, too. Thank you very much; I greatly appreciate them. As you put it, believable, yes. But I think it's sort of more fun this way x)...

Please Review! 


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